Find a Health Provider

Zip Code   within:
Type*
Specialty
Last Name or Practice Name
 
Advanced Search

Health Providers in Valley Center, CA 92082

Walter Patrick Martin, MA, LMFT, EMDR MFC51509
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
Bonsall, CA 92003
Begin a new chapter of your life
EMDR work by changing feeling states of past memory
I offer a healing warm environment utilizing the most modern methods in treatment. EMDR utilized by a well trained professional can change the quality of your life. Also I provide EEG Neurofeedback for patients with learning problems and attention issues. I have 14 years experience in the field completing my graduate work in 1999 and I am professionally trained by the Northern California Regional Coordinator for the EMDR International Association and am now a licensed trained EMDR Psychotherapist. EMDR can restructure memories creating new positive pathways resulting in decreased anxiety, improved mood and better sleep. I addition I provide a super bill for individuals with PPO or POS insurance. EMDR is brief therapy and is very powerful to change negative memories linked to undiscovered childhood trauma which feed and leads to long term anxiety and depression removing the locked dysfunctional distortion within the mind. I also utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy approaches. Could EMDR help me? A growing body of evidence is showing that many psychological conditions, including depression, often start with a stressful or traumatic experience. We are finding that EMDR Therapy with a Certified EMDR therapist can help significantly with symptoms of PTSD, phobias, depression, anxiety, panic, early and complex adverse experiences in childhood, and much more. It also has a strong track record for performance enhancement in a wide variety of fields — school, work, business, sales, sports, the arts, and that Most Popular Fear of All Time: public speaking.
Kim Jones, MA MFT
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92127
Has Helpful Blog
Recommended
Making a Difference - Support in your relationships/life
Choosing to start counseling is a sign of strength. I work with adults, teens and couples/families. People seek counseling for a variety of reasons. To me, the most critical part of counseling is finding someone to work with professionally with whom you are comfortable. My goal is to collaborate with you in working towards creating lasting change, fulfillment and improved relationships in your life. If you are an adult or couple struggling with life changes or needing to enhance your “tools” for dealing with difficult and stressful situations, I would be happy to explore your needs with you and help you discover how to create lasting success. If you are a parent of an adolescent having difficulties with peers, school, social skills, interpersonal or behavioral issues, I can work with you to assess and help guide you and your child to more successes. If you are struggling with anxiety or depression and haven't found the right strategies to get unstuck, I can give you tools and supportive model for healing. Please contact me to discuss your specific situation and I look forward to our work together. What are your goals and challenges - something you've wanted to change but haven't made progress with this? Call me to discuss what services may benefit you. * Individual/Couples/Family Psychotherapy * Life and Personal Coaching * Relationship Coaching * Parent Coaching * Business Coaching Life transitions can be very challenging. Whether it's a bump or a major valley happening in your relationship with your child or spouse, or just something you are feeling stuck on yourself, reaching out for support is a sign of strength. I work with you, listening and helping guide you to search for valuable insights which might be keeping you stuck. I strive to help you in gaining clarity of your situation, as well as enhancing the skills you already know but may not be using in this moment. I will help guide you towards your goal to achieve the potential you want in your relationships and life. My goal is to help you make life meaningful in a way in which will bring you more happiness and fulfillment in your daily life. Let’s make a difference! Individuals/Couples/Relationships: Life changes including school, work, marriage, birth of child, separation/divorce, grief/loss or catastrophic illnesses; stress management; depression/anxiety; anger management; trauma; communication and problem solving skills; personal growth/skill building Parent/Child Relationships: Parenting skills; communication; problem-solving and goal-setting; transitions; Divorce; Healthy boundaries and relationship skills; Family counseling
Cheryll Putt, LMFT
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92127
EMDR, Child, and Family Therapist
Many children and adults experience trauma. Some traumas are the most obvious such as earthquake, fire, car accidents, and abuse and can be referred to as "Big T" traumas. Others are less so, but may still have a large effect on how someone lives day to day life. These "smaller" traumas include interpersonal conflicts, loss of a pet, moving to a new home or community, or even disciplinary action by a teacher or boss and can be referred to as "Little T" traumas. Adults often view these "Little T" events as something that can easily be resolved with time. Often they can. But some children, and even some adults, do not bounce back quickly and seem to perseverate over the event. Parents or friends can be clueless as to how to deal with this, because they've been able to rationalize that the event happened, is over, and now everything is ok. Some people are emotional beings. When they experience an event that is traumatizing to them, it is hard to see the bigger picture and view anything beyond that particular point in time. The reaction to the trauma will often become the reaction to anything that triggers a memory of the trauma. Triggers can come from a smell, a taste, a sound, a touch, a visual cue, or even a set of seemingly innocuous circumstances. In my practice, I utilize EMDR, play and art therapy techniques, as well as, traditional talk therapy to guide children and adults to resolution. I have worked with children as young as 2 years of age through adulthood. If you or your child have experienced a trauma or seem to be having difficulty "getting over" an experience, call me for a free phone consutation to see if I am the right therapist for you.
Jessica Evers Killebrew, Psy.D.
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Sliding Scale Psychotherapy, Specializing in Mindfulness
Mindfulness increases your ability to cope. It cultivates self-compassion, non-judgment, acceptance, and awareness – all vital to healing. Mindfulness encourages perspective and flexibility, strengthening overall mental health. It allows us to live in the present moment by recognizing thought patterns, letting go of unhealthy attachments, and ultimately getting us in touch with what it means to be more fully alive. Integrative An integrative framework involves mind and body. It examines how your worldview, defense mechanisms, physical and spiritual health, culture, family roles, and larger social systems are interconnected. Personality, past experiences, and beliefs are also looked at to understand how well-being is created and maintained. Healing involves exploring and being curious about these various aspects of your life and how they interact. Therapy facilitates this journey toward health, wholeness, and peace. Wellness Focused Therapy My therapeutic approach is wellness based, stemming from Positive Psychology, which focuses on strengths and values that empower the individual. This allows for innate and organic healing processes to take place. I believe this approach, together with Mindfulness and an Integrative framework, promote insight, shift, growth and balance in a most honoring and profound way. Therapy entails venturing inward, and nurturing internal wisdom to bring about this transformation
Pamela Polcyn, Phd, MFT27431
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
encinitas, CA 92024
Effective treatments for anxiety, panic and social phobia
I specialize in treating Anxiety Disorders. I provide tele therapy in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere where we focus on developing ways to become more joyful, peaceful and balanced. With the appropriate tools, you can move away from experiencing life's challenges as overwhelming.You will begin to feel empowered and to making decisions that are congruent with who you are at your best. The personalized approach I use is tailored to your needs and goals. The proven techniques that I use help you to transform unproductive behaviors, thoughts and feelings. In the process, you can regain confidence and satisfaction in your life, in your relationships and in your career. While I have a general practice and treat a wide range of issues, my specialty is anxiety disorders. I understand how difficult anxiety can be for you and I can help with it. Although anxiety feels overwhelming and unpredictable, it is possible to develop a lifestyle in which you will no longer experience feeling out of control or high anxiety. Anxiety is a broad diagnosis that includes distinct categories such as *Generalized Anxiety Disorder: chronic anxiety or exaggerated worry that lacks an obvious cause. *Social Anxiety Disorder: overwhelming anxiety when faced with everyday social situations and interactions. *Panic Disorder: reoccurring episodes of intense physical fear with no immediate cause or source. These anxiety attacks are commonly experienced with heart palpitations, light headedness, chest pains, difficulty breathing or tightness in the chest. *PTSD: overwhelming anxiety following a severe traumatic event that threatens actual harm. *Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a pattern of intrusive thoughts known as obsessions combined with repetitive behaviors known as compulsions that the sufferer performs in order to avoid the obsessive thoughts. Some of the techniques that I use are Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Client-Centered Therapy, Hypnosis/Visualization/Relaxation, Mindfulness and Meditation, and Gestalt.
Accurate Assessments Of San Diego
Clinical Neuropsychologist
San Diego, CA 92014
A Psychological, Neuropsychological, Developmental, Educational, or Substance Abuse Evaluation provides comprehensive data to definitively establish diagnosis, identify personality structure, determine addiction potential, measure intellectual functioning, and provide treatment planning. These evaluations are often used to confirm or modify the impressions formed by referring physicians, therapists, or school personnel. Neuropsychological testing is used to help identify an individual’s functional abilities, limitations, and to determine the prognosis after a head injury. In addition, neuropsychological assessment is used to diagnose neurological, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric disorders in children and adults. It is also widely used to evaluate complex learning and behavior problems in children and adults. These evaluations provide accurate and objective data to assist in answering a variety of complex questions. Learn more about how our assessments can help you. General Information: Important information that may be difficult for a person to express directly; Reliable and valid data based on comparisons with research; Measurement of personality, addictive, intellectual, and neuropsychological characteristics; Integrated information from multiple sources; Information related to a person’s relationship patterns. Diagnostic Clarification: Evaluation and history of psychological issues; Validation of current diagnosis; Clarification of differential diagnoses; Detection of potential neuropsychological involvement; Identification of personality structure and functioning. Treatment: Evaluation of a person’s ability to function in, and benefit from psychotherapy or other forms of treatment; Treatment matching and clarification of treatment needs and goals; Clarification of reasons why someone may not have benefited from treatment in the past; A baseline against which the progress of treatment can be measured; Assessment of motivation for treatment;
Kerschmann & Associates
Clinical Social Worker/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92121
Has Helpful Blog
Providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in California
Karen Kerschmann is an experienced psychotherapist who has spent more than a decade developing expertise in clinical practice through her work with adults, adolescents and families. Utilizing two main modalities of treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy, she helps clients realize significant change in their lives. Her credentials include the completion of 100-hours of advanced clinical hypnosis training with the internationally recognized psychotherapist Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D. Ms. Kerschmann also consults with Dr. Yapko on a regular basis. In 2010, she further enhanced her knowledge by traveling to Bangalore, India, to attend a training program on parenting millennial teens and she is a leader in the delivery of therapeutic approaches in that area. She also attends training at the Cognitive Therapy & Training Centre, recognized by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Ms. Kerschmann is committed to contributing to the field of psychology through research. Her work providing clinical consult in field trials regarding proposed diagnostic criteria has been acknowledged by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also referred to as the DSM-5. Additionally, on numerous occasions, Ms. Kerschmann’s work with cognitive process in adolescents has been acknowledged in the professional journal The Review of Education, Pedagogy & Cultural Studies. Ms. Kerschmann’s experience includes training with the Family Mediation Centre in Melbourne, Australia, where she contributed to the creation of a parent-adolescent-school mediation program (CRESS), which is now utilized by the Victoria Family Court System. In 2004, Ms. Kerschmann earned her license to practice as a clinical social worker in the state of California while working for the San Diego County Children’s Services bureau. During that time she was a social worker with the Adoptions Program and later helped establish the HOME Program, which provides housing for former foster youth. Ms. Kerschmann was also licensed as a custody mediator in the state of Minnesota in 1999. Karen Kerschmann’s educational background includes a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in law and political psychology. In addition to her private practice, Ms. Kerschmann is an advocate for current and former foster youth and is a foster parent for Special Families. She provides clinical services to various group homes and foster teens, as well as offering individual, group and family therapy to former foster youth under the age of 25 for a low fee or pro bono. Ms. Kerschmann also volunteered hours of therapy services to perpetrators of animal abuse through the BARC program.
Paul Standal, Ph.D.
Counselor
San Diego, CA 92121
Welcome to Affordable Quality Counseling We are San Diego psychologists and marriage and family therapists. We help individuals, couples and families to gain renewal, growth and development. Our goal is to assist you in realizing the highest level of self-fulfillment and well being. We replace negative feelings and self-limiting behaviors with a positive self-image, healthy coping skills, and a high level of personal satisfaction. As experienced counselors, we teach conflict resolution, anger management, parenting, and communication skills to enhance individual, marital and family relationships. Affordable Quality Counseling (AQC) intervenes to resolve negative feelings and behaviors like anger, oppositional attitudes and grief or loss between relationship partners, husbands and wives and parents and their adolescents or children. In addition, we help clients recovering from affairs and infidelity, co-dependency, sex addiction, impulse control disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder, including violent crimes like rape, domestic violence and physical, sexual or emotional abuse. We ascribe to a person-centered approach that makes use of specific psychotherapeutic interventions, based on present-time, solution focused strategies as well as caring and consistent feedback and support. We specialize in resolving depression, anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, work-related injuries, occupational and vocational issues, weight loss, dating/ internet dating problems, social isolation and interpersonal conflicts that affect mental health and self-esteem. AQC offers psychotherapy, consultation, training and crisis intervention services as well as help with addictions, including drug and alcohol abuse and dependence, relapse prevention and addiction recovery for adolescents and adults.
Susannah Muller, M.A.
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92121
IT HELPS TO TALK TO SOMEONE Life can be challenging. All of us need support at times. This is particularly true if you are feeling depressed, anxious, angry or confused or are experiencing grief or a difficult relationship. Research and experience show that talk therapy can help. Therapy allows people to gain insight, improve relationships, clarify issues, overcome problems, and change unhelpful behaviors. I have a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and I have conducted psychotherapy with individuals, couples, children, families and groups. My counseling clients come from all walks of life and are concerned with a wide variety of issues. I believe in providing a warm, supportive and thought-provoking environment where you can feel safe to explore your concerns. As a therapist, my approach is collaborative - we work together on discovering what is holding you back and how to overcome it. (For more, please see About Me & My Approach to Therapy). Whether you are struggling with relationship problems, your work environment, family difficulties or a lack of happiness in your life, it helps to talk to someone. Many clients report strong feelings of anger, frustration, irritability, sadness or despair that they don't know how to handle, or that they are out of touch with their emotions. Talking with a counselor such as me offers you the chance to work through such emotions, gain a broader perspective, find hope, and change things that aren't working. If you think therapy might be helpful for you, or if you have any questions, please call or email me. You may also fill out the Inquiry Form to the left and then click on submit. An initial phone consultation is free.
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92121
Helping People Who Ask The Question........
"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
Did you just find out your Spouse/Partner is having an affair? Are you shocked and overwhelmed experiencing a range of emotions? Feeling angry and scared at the same time? Can couples survive an affair? Finding out your partner is having an affair is probably the most devastating thing that could happen to you. Cheating shatters the core of your existence leaving you with feelings of betrayal, rejection, fear, mistrust, grief and anger. It damages your sense of self and leaves you overwhelmed with what to do next. You’re in allot of pain and confused right now. You don’t have to suffer through this alone. With the right Therapist couples can find their way to a deeper and more intimate bond after an affair despite the feelings of wanting to leave or fantasizing about a divorce. Notable author and Therapist Ester Perel states, “an affair doesn’t necessarily end a marriage and can possibly make it stronger.” Recovering from infidelity involves the willingness of unfaithful spouses to demonstrate sincere regret and remorse. Affair Recovery includes: Teamwork; both spouses must be fully committed to the hard work of getting their marriage back on track. The unfaithful partner must be willing to end the affair (sexual or emotional) and do whatever it takes to win back the trust of his or her spouse. Honesty is the most important factor in rebuilding the marriage. The future possibilities for the marriage are not determined by what happened in the affair; they are determined by what happens after the affair is known. The betrayed spouse must be willing to find ways to manage overwhelming emotions so, as a couple, thay can begin to sort out affair happened,ana more importantly, what needs to change so that it never happens again. Affairs are less about love and more about boundaries. Affairs can happen in good marriages. The major attraction in an affair is NOT the love partner but the positive mirroring of the self --"the way I look when I see myself in the other person’s eyes.” The conventional wisdom is that the person having an affair isn’t “getting enough” at home. That may be true, but often the truth is the person isn’t giving enough. Most people think that talking about the affair with the spouse will only create more upset, but that is actually the way to rebuild intimacy. The single best indicator of whether a relationship can survive infidelity is how much empathy the unfaithful partner shows for the pain they have caused. Gradually rebuild trust - through actions, not promises. Allow time to heal - although time alone (without effort) is not enough. As a Marriage Counselor and Infidelity Specialist I have specific training and experience to help explain the sources of infidelity and offer sound and sensible guidelines for mending your relationship. For those of you who are going through the hurt and betrayal of infidelity I am able to help you cope with the raging emotions, make a thoughtful decision about your future, and if you choose to recommit, reclaim a life together. The couples I work with either 1) relive their trauma and bitterness over and over again, 2) revert to the status of life before the affair, or 3) have the affair become a transformational experience and catalyst for renewal and change for moving forward. Couples can survive infidelity, provided both partners are willing to look honestly at themselves and at each other and acquire the tools needed to guide them through such a shattering crisis. If you’re struggling with wondering what to do next and asking yourself the question.....”Should I Stay Or Should I Go?,” please call m. I can help you with options to make the right decision for you and your family.
The Couples Institute Of San Diego
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92122
Improve Your Relationship
Are you sick and tired of having the same fight over and over? Are you wondering if the passion and fun can come back into your relationship or marriage? Worried that the conflict and negativity are unsolvable? Do you question if it’s possible to recover from an affair or other betrayal? Are you curious about how compatible you and your dating partner are and if you’re ready to move in, get engaged, or plan to be married? Have financial challenges threatened the safety and optimism in your relationship? Are there difficult conversations about the kids, whether and when to have kids, co-parenting with an ex-spouse, or dealing with step-parenting? Trish Stanley, PsyD, MFT is a dedicated relationship therapist who brings warmth, acceptance, and a treasure trove of skills to the process of helping her clients tackle and resolve these kinds of challenges. Her expertise is based on the groundbreaking work of our mentor, Dr. John Gottman. His forty years of research with over four thousand couples led to the development of powerful tools that reflect clinical evidence of what actually works in making relationships better and happier. The Gottman Method Couples Therapy is based on Dr. John Gottman’s research that began in the 1970’s and continues to this day. The research has focused on what makes relationships succeed or fail. From his research of four decades with more than 4,000 couple’s Dr. Gottman has created a method of therapy that helps couples break through barriers to achieve greater intimacy, understanding and connectedness in their relationship. Gottman Method Couples Therapy is a structured, goal-oriented, scientifically-based therapy. This method is designed to help teach specific tools to deepen friendship and intimacy, productively manage conflicts, generate greater understanding between partners, and support each other’s hopes for the future. Drs. John and Julie Gottman have demonstrated how couples can achieve greater friendship, conflict resolution, and meaning by paying attention to what they call the Sound Relationship House, or the seven components of a healthy marriage.
Hawley Winter, LMFT
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92122
Hello and welcome. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist in San Diego offering psychotherapy for adults, adolescents, families, couples and groups. I work primarily with eating disorders, depression, anxiety and relationship issues. I believe in integrative health and, when appropriate, encourage clients to create a team of collaborating professionals to assist them in reaching their personal and health goals. My approach with clients is collaborative with goals of improving insight and awareness of self-defeating patterns so that clients can make meaningful shifts in the ways they relate to others, behave in the world and feel about themselves. I offer a supportive environment for change through authentic warmth and compassion. I am also gently and respectfully challenging and direct. Services: Individual Therapy Eating Disorder Treatment Couples Therapy Family Therapy Group Therapy Depending on client needs, I use several therapeutic modalities including Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Self Compassion, Ecopsychology and nature connection, psychodynamic and attachment theories, humanistic and interpersonal approaches and Bowen Family Systems. I also consider the significance of socio-cultural context, gender, sexual orientation and spirituality in working with clients. Open collaboration and respect for clients' perspectives is of high value. I also make recommendations for adjunctive treatment with other health and wellbeing professionals when appropriate.
Laurie M. Shear, MFT
Marriage & Family Therapist
El Cajon, CA 92021
My name is Laurie Shear, and I’m a therapist in private practice in San Diego, I’m located in El Cajon and provide marriage, family, individual and relationship counseling as well as therapy for the greater San Diego. I am a graduate of Alliant International University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program. My undergraduate degree was in Sociology at the University of California at Santa Barbara. I have more than 11 years of experience in providing therapy to individuals and couples. While the immediate goal of counseling is to find solutions to challenges in our everyday lives. Individual and family counseling has the additional benefits of boosting self-esteem and confidence, increasing self awareness for healthier decision-making. I hope that my family and individual counseling practice in San Diego can help you with what ever your needs are. I specialize in Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Domestic Violence issues. I am dedicated to helping people becoming the best version of themselves. Individual Therapy in San Diego Can Help You: Improve your relationship with family, friends –and most importantly yourself. Discover and utilize your unique strengths. Learn effective communication tools. Identify and minimize triggers that worsen your symptoms. Decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. Learn effective anger management skills. See available options in any given situation. Rid yourself of negative thought patterns. Increase self-esteem. Examine underlying issues that are creating problems in your life. Increase your peace of mind and improve your day-to-day living. Some Common issues addressed in Family and Couples Therapy in San Diego: Communications issues Finances Differences in Parenting styles Infidelity Domestic Violence Sexual Issues Children’s Behavioral issues San Diego Family and Couples Therapy Can Help You…. Improve communication skills Provide a safe environment to express your feelings Come to agreements over difficult issues Decrease the stress and negativity in your relationships Increase understanding and empathy for loved ones Increase parenting skills
Jeff Larsen
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92108
Need Affordable Counseling?
Happy Much Lately? Need a Little Help? Affordable Therapy is Finally Here... Jeff has been helping individuals and corporations achieve their goals for more than 15 years. Due to the high demand for Jeff's services there is usually a short wait list to be seen by Jeff. Call today for a free consultation and I will do my best to work you in. Fun, Compassionate, Dynamic and Funny B.A. Communications M.A. Psychology Fluent in English and Spanish Flexible and Affordable Clinical Member: (AAMFT) American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Specializations: Relationship Issues Anxiety and Depression Life Transitions (Starting a New Career, Loss and Grief etc.) Anger Management Drug and Alcohol Counseling Resistant Clients Troubled Adolescents / Bullying Self Esteem Issues Jeff has successfully passed both the California and the National MFT Examinations for Licensure. "A Cool Counselor in SD", "A Cool Counselor in San Diego" and "The Trouble With Fabulous" are all trademarks of Larsen Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. Jeff has been helping individuals and corporations achieve their goals for more than 15 years . un, Compassionate, Dynamic and Funny Licensed, Professional Therapist (Jeff has passed both the California and the National Licensing Exams for MFT's.) B.A. Communications M.A. Psychology Fluent in English and Spanish Flexible and Affordable Clinical Member: (AAMFT) American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Specializations: Relationship Issues Anxiety and Depression Life Transitions (Starting a New Career, Loss and Grief etc.) Anger Management Drug and Alcohol Counseling Resistant Clients Troubled Adolescents / Bullying Self Esteem Issues
Dr. Barbara Cunningham, Psy.D., MFT
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92108
Thrive, Don't Just Survive!
As a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in couples therapy as well as divorce therapy, I am expert in helping marriages and individuals to thrive, not merely survive! By understanding yesterday, people can be empowered to gain more fulfillment in the present and realize dreams into the future. As a clinician with training at the doctoral level, I have assisted married and divorcing couples, families and individuals for years. I address numerous concerns, including marital problems, family conflict, parental issues, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, substance abuse, and aging issues such as empty nest adjustment, to name a few. I am passionate about my work in the fields of individual counseling, couples counseling, and family counseling. I am very respectful of the notion that it takes great courage to embark upon a path of personal growth and change. In working with couples, I believe that two strong "I's" make the strongest possible "we." Because I am a systems therapist, I also believe that it is possible to do couples therapy with only one partner. In systems thinking, if there is a change in one person, the relationship will be impacted and change as well. Thus, if one partner is resistant to couples counseling or counseling that moves a divorcing couple toward an amicable conclusion, the other partner may still positively impact the relationship by doing individual work. I bring with me rich life experience and clients have often noted my warm, nurturing style of practice. I am easy to talk to, supportive, and not judgmental. While working toward change is serious business, humor has its place in my sessions as well. I bring a wealth of knowledge that I have acquired through my doctoral studies, teaching, and life experience. I am a firm believer in the notion that we are always "becoming," and adversity offers all of us the opportunity to become stronger, not in spite of the adversity, but because of it!
Affordable Relationship Counseling: Dr. Barbara Cunningham, MFT
Mental Health Counselor/Therapist
San Diego, CA 92108
Thrive, Don't Just Survive in Your Relationship!
As a marriage and family therapist located in the heart of San Diego, I enjoy a thriving private practice. I love my work with couples and individuals and view the decision to enter into psychotherapy as a courageous one. My style is warm and engaging. I will at times hold "your feet to the fire" and you may experience the counseling experience as enlightening, insightful and even challenging. I believe that the therapy room should be a safe holding environment for both tears and laughter. Humor is often present in my sessions, as I believe it provides a lightness of spirit that can aid a client or couple in getting more objective and solution-focused in their efforts. I encourage my clients to read a couple of books to enlighten them about family systems principles and clients are asked to apply systemic ideas to their lives in between sessions. Thus, our therapy effort is collaborative. Clients are expected to take an active part in the therapeutic journey from the beginning. My expertise is in treating individuals and couples who are experiencing problems in their relationships or who simply want to empower themselves to improve the quality of their lives. I practice from a family systems model. This means that I believe that problems are always co-created. In other words, there is no blame. And one can change their dance steps in relation to another and shift the entire dynamic of the relationship. This is an empowering concept! The aim in couples therapy is to help partners achieve the creation of a safer, more secure bond while at the same time learning to recognize where they stop and their partner begins. Learning what triggers one's reactivity, learning about how the past is playing out in the present, and identifying multigenerational patterns are among a few of the learning opportunities in this model of therapy. I think of this model of practice as a 'thinking person's" therapy. It is all about getting more facts about one's functioning in relationships, whether in one's personal or professional life.
Expand Search
Therapy Forum/Bulletin Board
Post Icon
Interested in massage therapy - Huntington Beach, CA You were referred to me as someone that could perform therapeutic massage for sciatica that might be caused by a constricted/tight periformis, glute...
Post Icon
With Linda Gaines. Please call to schedule an appt.. - Boynton Beach, FL Situation recently arose and don't know how to handle it.
Post Icon
Gentle Therapy For Extremely Restricted Mobility Following Hip Replacement - Old Lyme, CT Hello, I'm writing on behalf of my mother in Old Lyme who has just undergone hip replacement surgery and is having a difficult time recovering - due...
Post Icon
TJ still needs a lot of help speaking and understanding questions that are asked - Sellers... My son, TJ, is a very bright, loving, outgoing 21yr old gentleman. He has received speech on and off for many yrs. He can talk (w 4-5 words), but not...
Post Icon
I feel my brain has been hijacked. Need help asap! - Yuba City, CA Been married 22 yrs& we have an amazing 20 yr old autistic son. My husband is very controlling, abusive and an alcoholic. He quit drinking after our...
Post Icon
Abusive narcissist - Kennewick, WA We are looking for an excellent therapist who can help us navigate through relationship difficulties with our daughter in law who is a narcissist and...
Post Icon
Therapy for 14 yr old daughter - Mundelein, IL Looking for therapist for my 14 yr old daughter. She has ADHD, anxiety, depression & showing some OCD tendencies. Seeing art therapy. .thinking it...
Post Icon
Reconnecting Sruthi + Kathryn - Pleasanton, CA Hi Kathryn, I hope you're doing well! My name is Sruthi, and I was a client of yours in 2018/2019. I am now a 2nd year student in college, and...
Post Icon
Auto immune - Tampa, FL Would like to have a consultation about an autoimmune disease to see if that is something you would be able to help me. Thank you, Jim
Post Icon
Needing to learn to manage family disruption - Petoskey, MI I am having difficulty dealing with the fact that my oldest son has been charged with a crime and will be going to federal prison for many years. Pat...
Post Icon
Looking for help with DID - Chicago, IL Hello! My name is Addison. I was wondering if you have any experience with patients who have DID? Thank you!
Post Icon
OCD Treatment Inquiry - Los Angeles, CA Hi Nan, I received your contact based on your work with Autumn Witz. I'm looking for treatment related to OCD and would love to do a consultation....
Post Icon
Scheduling - Jacksonville, FL Hi Marc, I am contacting you to schedule a session. Linda B. recommended you to me. Hoping we can connect soon.
Post Icon
Seeking Therapy - Los Alamitos, CA Hello Dr. Wriedt, I following up a voicemail. I am looking for a therapist and saw your profile in Psychology Today. I live in Los Alamitos, and...
Post Icon
EMDR - Rensselaer, NY Hi I was interested in your EMDR services and wondering if you’re accepting new patients.
Post Icon
Seeking Therapy - Tampa, FL I am needing help with an auto-immune condition. Got your reference from a friend and also patient. Thank you Jim
Post Icon
Twin boys age 13, and 16 year old son - Porter Ranch, CA I have twin 13-year-old boys and a 16-year-old son, and I’d love to schedule a meeting or speak by phone before setting up a consultation if you are...
Post Icon
Need guidance on how to start therapy - Woodland Hills, CA Hi there I have never sought therapy before but I want to start. I believe you take my insurance and you are nearby to my house. I just need some...
Post Icon
Expanding Dissociation-Informed Psychoanalytic Practice: The Self-State Continuum - New Yo... Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis Expanding Dissociation-Informed Psychoanalytic Practice: The Self-State Continuum Model Presented by JOHANNA...
Post Icon
Couple counseling - Saint Louis, MO Looking for couples counseling to help our marriage.
Post Icon
Seeking new therapist in personn - Venice, CA Hi there! My name is Viren, I am a new physician to the area and looking for a new therapist to help in my journey of LGBTQ identity and a recent...
Post Icon
Need therapy - San Diego, CA I'm interested in therapy with you. You sound extremely knowledgeable. Please contact me.
Post Icon
Full Body Cleanse - St Louis, MO I am currently in a place in my life where I am having more aged health concerns. I have been VERY low in my energy levels and just really depressed...
Post Icon
Teen and Adult Therapy Services - Portage, MI I have new day time appointments available on my caseload! I work with teens and adults to address life transitions, stress, trauma, and anxiety. I...
Post Icon
Not sure what you are asking for. - Port Charlotte, FL I would like to set up an acupuncture appointment with you. I met you at JulieAnne’s on Saturday. I also left a message on your phone, (508-493-5911)...
Since 2010, TherapyNext is a family-owned, independently run directory of thousands of health providers, therapists, and wellness professionals.